Using a scrambling, no-holds-barred defense,
Grand Canyon University Women's Club Basketball Team 1 forced several key turnovers throughout its season opener Monday night en route to a 60-50 victory over PHH Prep at the
Canyon Activity Center on the GCU campus. The win got the Lopes' 2022-23 season off on a strong start in their opening game of Arizona Women's Basketball League play. In the first game of Monday's AWBL doubleheader, GCU Team 2 dropped its season opener to Bella Vista College Prep, 61-36.
New Lopes' Head Coach Byron Jackson had to make some day-of-game adjustments to his Team 1 strategy, since PHH - one of three new AWBL teams this season - and Benedictine University-Mesa agreed to switch game dates when BenU determined scheduling conflicts wouldn't allow them to play Monday's matchup. The basic product, though, would've worked no matter the opponent, since the Lopes' sticky, trapping defense kept the Fire offense at bay much of the evening, forcing them into low-percentage shots. The Lopes' defensive transition helped send them to the free throw line six times in the first quarter alone, staking them to a 17-12 edge at the end of the quarter that they would never relinquish. The Lopes outscored PHH, 16-7, in the 2
nd quarter, and never allowed the Fire to get closer than seven points the rest of the way.
Lopes' sophomore
Aubree Evans led a balanced Lopes' attack with 12 points, while fellow soph
Sydney Good chipped in 11. Both Claire Greenwade and Misha Fuson had 11 points to pace the Fire.
In the first game of the night, Bella Vista's senior forward Nikolina Vukcevic hit four three-pointers in the first half alone, helping stake the Bears to a 30-15 halftime lead over GCU Team 2. Vukcevic led all scorers with 19 points as BVCP pulled away, while GCU's Julia Wolke had 7 points in her first collegiate game to lead the Lopes.
Both GCU teams are off next week for GCU's Fall Break and Thanksgiving holiday, then GCU 2 will play a doubleheader on Monday, November 28 against newcomer Justice College at 6 PM and defending AWBL Champion Park University-Gilbert at 7:30PM. GCU Team 1 will return to AWBL play on Monday, December 5 in the rescheduled matchup against BenU at 7:30 PM. All games will be held at the CAC.
